‘Zorro the Musical’ wows audiences
Page 20
RGS wins major Sports fixtures
Page 4
RGS WORCESTER FAMILYOFSCHOOLS
EXCELLENT IN ALL AREAS
all areas
CONTENTS
RGS Worcester Family Page 3
RGS Worcester Page 8
RGS Dodderhill Page 26
RGS The Grange Page 32
RGS Springfield Page 38 The Foundation Page 44
RGS Worcester
Upper Tything, Worcester WR1 1HP
Independent Education for children aged 11 - 18
RGS Dodderhill
Dodderhill Road, Droitwich Spa WR9 0BE
Independent Education for children aged 2 - 11
Girls only education for 11-16 years
RGS The Grange
Grange Lane, Claines WR3 7RR
Independent Education for children aged 2 - 11
RGS Springfield
Britannia Square, Worcester WR1 3DL
Independent Education for children aged 2 - 11
We have had an exceptional time at The RGS Family of Schools in the last few months with national and local success in so many areas of School life. In the classroom, the pupils have been making the most of the extraordinary breadth of curriculum and subject choices available to them. They have won Academic awards in national competitions, Challenges and Olympiads. Outside the classroom, we have seen a golden period of success with our pupils throwing themselves into their Co-curricular programme with such enthusiasm and determination, and seeing incredible achievements.
On the Sports pitches, courts and on the river, our pupils have excelled with several pupils representing their country in a number of different Sports. We have over 20 Sports with pupils participating at all different levels and enjoying taking part. In our highly prestigious senior matches against our local rival played at Sixways Stadium and the University of Worcester Arena in Rugby, Football and Netball, RGS teams have triumphed and now hold all of the trophies.
In the Performing Arts, there have been exceptional performances from the extraordinary combined four RGS Schools’ concert in Worcester Cathedral with over 250 pupils performing together, to a pupil-led concert for a charity supporting children in Ukraine, and pupils at RGS The Grange performing alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. The musicals ‘Matilda’ and ‘Zorro the Musical’ at the two Senior Schools have been performed to sell-out audiences, while ‘Hamlet’ and ‘Addams Family’ have demonstrated the breadth of Drama at RGS for all ages. Debating has once again been worldclass, reaching international finals.
This Excel magazine captures many of these achievements and I hope also demonstrates the fun and excitement of learning at RGS. Outdoors classrooms, expeditions and trips all encourage children to explore and ask questions, learning new skills, resilience and determination along the way. The teachers have real expertise in their subjects and age groups inspiring our pupils to aim high, while supporting them in all that they do.
Our Schools also play a very significant part in our community, raising funds for charities and working alongside other schools and institutions in our Outreach & Partnerships work. We have links with a school in Ghana which we assist with their technology and link up our pupils. In doing so, we are encouraging a world-view and developing awareness of others and our part in supporting those around us.
I hope you enjoy browsing through the magazine and my thanks to the Marketing team, especially Louise Hardiman, Ilaria-Mia Salisbury and Su Savage for their work to assemble Excel. We have record numbers of pupils joining The RGS Worcester Family of Schools and we now educate over 1,650 children in our four Schools. Please do come and see us in action so that our pupils can show you their Schools and all that they are achieving and enjoy.
With best wishes,
JohnPitt
Headmaster,RGS Worcester
Executive Head,
The RGS Worcester Family of Schools
At the start of the year The RGS Worcester Family of Schools unveiled a new film ‘It’s a Feeling…’
‘It’s a Feeling…’ captures the distinct sentiment that parents and pupils experience when they visit the Family of Schools. Featuring RGS Dodderhill, RGS The Grange, RGS Springfield and RGS Worcester Schools and pupils, the film showcases some of the exceptional opportunities provided across the Schools.
Please visit www.rgsw.org.uk to view our new film
The Headmaster of RGS Worcester was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Worcester for his contributions to the region, particularly in cultivating a learning environment that supports each pupil in achieving their full potential.
The ceremony was held at Worcester Cathedral where the citation summarised Mr Pitt’s career and achievements as the 42nd Headmaster of RGS Worcester. John said he felt humbled and grateful for the award and stressed that it was a team effort, acknowledging the exceptional work of RGS pupils, staff, and parents.
The event was attended by the Headmaster’s family and was part of one of the twelve Graduation ceremonies held by the University of Worcester. The Headmaster expressed his gratitude to the University of Worcester and RGS for the opportunity to receive the Honorary Fellowship, which he will always treasure.
An extraordinary evening at Sixways Stadium for the Modus Challenge Cup annual fixture against King’s School saw the 1st XV Rugby team play with real belief, to win the 15th Modus Challenge Cup.
In difficult conditions, with heavy rain falling, both teams exhibited great skill, contributing to a thrilling game which saw RGS triumph 20-17. Showing superb teamwork and determination, RGS dominated the second period, scoring the winning try and conversion late in the second half to be crowned The Modus Challenge Cup winners for 2022-2023.
The RGS Worcester Family of Schools united to support the 1st and 2nd VII Netball teams at The University of Worcester Arena as they played in the 7th annual ‘Superball’ match against King’s School. This year’s match was an epic display of the pupils’ talent, camaraderie, resilience, sportsmanship and hard work.
The annual ‘Superball’ Netball fixture saw RGS Worcester win 41-36 against King’s School in a tense and closely contested match in front of a sell-out crowd. The RGS 2nd VII also achieved victory earlier in the day.
This year saw the launch of the first ever ’Severn Shield’ Hockey match, The RGS 1st XI team had an exciting match against King’s School on the pitch at Bishop Perowne. RGS dominated possession but just could not find the goal to seal a win, resulting in a 0-0 draw. The match showcased the talent, resilience and sportsmanship of the 1st XI team. With 19 players used in the match, the strength and depth of RGS Senior Hockey was very evident.
The 2nd XI also dominated posession throughout their match against King’s School, putting in a strong competitive performance to win 1-0 at the Worcester International Hockey Centre.
Spectators enjoyed a thrilling evening of Football, as the 1st XI RGS Football team played against King’s School in the Football Challenge Cup match at Sixways Stadium.
The game proved to be an exhilarating display of skill and talent that kept the large crowd of supporters on the edge of their seats. The RGS team dominated as the game progressed with a goal in the 75th minute, followed by a second goal in the closing minutes of the match, to make the final score a 2-0 win.
As part of our Outreach Programme we hosted a Singing Workshop, led by BBC Singer Aga Serugo Lugo. The Workshop was open to pupils from Years Eight to the Lower Sixth from five local schools, with around sixty pupils in attendance, including twenty-seven from RGS Worcester.
During the morning, pupils learned pop songs and contemporary songs by ear, building up vocal layers and rhythm patterns all with no sheet music involved.
50 pupils from Hollymount School visited RGS Worcester to immerse themselves in a morning of Classics, learning about ancient Greece and Rome.
Teacher of Classics, Mr Ben Tanner, dressed up as a Roman centurion to welcome the pupils who explored the subject, including seeing ancient Greek and Roman coins, designed their own coins, and learned an introduction to Latin.
Year Eight pupils from RGS Worcester, Nunnery Wood School, Christopher Whitehead Language College, Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College, The Chantry School and RGS Dodderhill participated in the 2022-23 Institution of Engineering and Technology’s IET Faraday Challenge Day.
The Faraday Challenge introduced the pupils to engineering, inspiring them to consider engineering as a career and developed their practical and employability skills, including team working, problem solving and creative thinking. This year’s challenge saw the teams race against the clock to solve a real-life engineering problem, putting their engineering technology knowledge and skills to the test.
RGS Worcester held a Modern Foreign Languages Outreach morning with 120 primary school pupils from Oldbury Park, RGS Springfield, and Honeywell Primary. The event aimed to celebrate modern languages and broader international cultural understanding. Pupils had a chance to experience three language lessons - French, German, and Spanish.
In addition to language lessons, there were activities for students to participate in, including a French card game, German, ‘What am I?’ game and in Spanish, there was a dice game to make sentences.
The Outreach morning was an excellent opportunity for pupils to experience different languages and cultures.
“Welcoming, unaffected and academically on the up and up, while still valuing the
opportunities
RGS Worcester’s Debating and Public Speaking team had a busy and successful term, with students participating in several competitions. Katherine McCabe, Samuel Taylor, and Helena Stockford Parsons participated in the ESU Mace Regional Final. Henry Lee and Ridhima Canchi progressed to the Regional Final of the ESU Performing Shakespeare competition, and Katherine McCabe and Annabelle Howarth represented RGS Worcester at Oxford Finals Day, where they debated against teams from all over the world, finishing second in Round 4.
Tobey Butler, Rayyan Styles, Oscar Haynes, and William Hulbert participated in the Finals Day of the Cambridge Union Schools Debating Competition, impressing across four rounds of debating, beating international teams from Shanghai and Zimbabwe. Oscar Haynes and Will Hulbert remained undefeated throughout the competition, and Tobey and Rayyan finished first and second in two of their Debates. RGS Worcester is proud of its Debaters and public speakers and congratulates them on their successful performances.
Head of Debating, Mr Bennet Ager
The RGS Worcester Family of Schools has once again been selected as an Apple Distinguished School, making it one of only 689 schools worldwide with this recognition. This achievement acknowledges the School’s continuous innovation in enhancing and enriching its pupils’ learning, teaching, and school environment through its Digital Learning Programme.
The programme was highlighted by a representative from The Good Schools Guide as “the real star of the show”. This achievement will be in place until 2025, allowing the School to continue innovating and personalising pupils’ learning journeys.
We were delighted to see the latest donated iPads arrive at the Tongo School in Northern Ghana. Over the last three years, we have now seen over 50 iPads given a new lease of life at our link school in West Africa. The iPads have been repurposed to help teachers and pupils learn about the possibilities afforded by digital technology.
RGS student Ben Sears has been awarded a Choral Scholarship to Cambridge! This is a huge accomplishment. This follows his offer of a place to read Law.
Ben Sears was offered a place to study Law at Cambridge, Isaac McManus was offered a place to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Oxford, and Ben Holland was offered a place to study Fine Art at Oxford.
The competition for places at both universities is intense, so the students’ success is a testament to their academic excellence, dedication, and perseverance.
Three RGS Alumni, Felix Haynes, Alec Berry, and Will Osborne, returned to School to share their experience and offer valuable advice to current Upper Sixth students interested in applying to Oxford or Cambridge.
The RGS 1st team Netball players were crowned County Champions of the National Schools Competition, beating Bromsgrove School along the way.
The team progressed to the Regional Finals in January, one of the biggest and most hotly contested Netball competitions in England. This is a fantastic achievement for the team, and the entire RGS community is incredibly proud of their hard work and performance.
Congratulations to both Izzy Thompson and Ella Goddard who have been selected to play for the Netball Superleague ‘Severn Stars’ based at the University of Worcester for the 2022-23 season.
Last September, the 1st XI Girls Hockey team made a positive start to the England Hockey National Cup Competition beating both Bromsgrove School and Cheltenham College with some outstanding Hockey on display. These results secured a thirdround spot in the England Hockey National Cup Competition for RGS Worcester for the first time.
RGS Worcester were crowned winners of the West Division, earning a place in the National Cup Semi-Final against winners of the South Division, Sevenoaks School.
We are delighted to announce that over 25 RGS Worcester pupils have been selected to play Hockey in County, Regional and National Hockey Squads this season (image above and below).
The RGS Senior Cricket teams embarked on a pre-season tour of India in February. The tour began in Delhi with a training session and watching a test match between India and Australia. Both teams played a T20 match and a 40-over fixture.
The squad then travelled to Agra, where they visited the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort before heading south to Ranthambore National Park for a jeep safari. The tour ended in Jaipur, where both teams played two competitive fixtures, visited Amber Fort, and enjoyed an elephant ride.
The tour was a fantastic experience for the cricketers and provided lifelong memories. The 1st XI won two out of four challenging fixtures, while the 2nd XI played four competitive fixtures. The tour enabled RGS Cricketers to develop their skills and teamwork for the season ahead.
There were England callups for two Year Eleven pupils: Olivia Hodgson and Lucy Whiteley, who were selected to attend the Great British Rowing Team J16 Crew Sculling Camp. Whilst Menna Sutton (Upper Sixth) was selected to attend a Wales Under 18 Rowing Camp.
During October Half term over thirty pupils embarked on a Rowing pre-season training session in Figueira da Foz, Portugal to kickstart the season’s Rowing.
With the RGS quad and double Rowing boats transported to Portugal, the pupils were keen to get on the Montemor-o-Velho Rowing lake, the site of the 2010 European Rowing Championships.
During the five days of training sessions, the pupils had the opportunity to hone their Rowing skills and improve their technique. The pre-season training provided a great opportunity for the pupils to practise and embed their skills before the start of the winter Rowing season.
170 RGS Worcester pupils enjoyed a fantastic Ski trip to Sestriere, Italy. The pupils were easily identified thanks to their fully branded RGS fluorescent helmet covers! Throughout the week, the pupils hit the slopes early each morning for their ski lessons with each group progressing and honing their skiing skills.
Each evening exciting activities were organised to entertain the pupils from Sledging, to Basketball and a disco.
Two talented Footballers have been training with the England Under 15 squad at St George’s Park. Maxwell Moses and Theo Houston both attended the England Men’s Under 15 Football training camps at St George’s Park, the home of all 23 England National Football teams.
Director of Sport Mr Keith Fowles said, “We are delighted to have two of our outstanding young footballers chosen for England training camps. Both are supremely talented and dedicated young athletes who are starting their professional pathways in Football. They demonstrate that all pupils at RGS can achieve success in Sport with superb coaching and a dedicated approach. RGS Worcester wish them both every success on their Football journey”.
Lower Sixth student, Haineala Lutui, has been selected to join the England Under 18 Women’s Rugby Squad for upcoming internationals, including matches against Wales and the Women’s Under 18 Six Nations. Haineala has been training with England since August 2022 and was named in the final squad following a training camp.
Head of Rugby, Mr Robert Lewis, praised Haineala’s achievement and highlighted the growth of Women’s Rugby, with schools including RGS Worcester now offering the sport. Congratulations to Haineala on her England call-up, and we wish her every success in her blossoming Rugby career.
Upper Sixth student Alice Atkinson has achieved the astonishing feat of being selected for the Under 23 England Hockey squad at the age of eighteen.
Alice represents RGS Worcester in the Hockey 1st team and Netball 1st team; she is also a member of the RGS Athlete Development Programme (ADP) and is currently on the ‘Elite’ Pathway.
Alice, who plans to pursue a professional Hockey career, said: “I was so excited to find out the news that I have been selected. I am a little nervous of course, but I can’t wait to continue my training and be part of the England squad”.
Congratulations to Zara Martin-Green who was selected as part of the British Fencing Development Squad for her first International Fencing event in Copenhagen, Denmark.
RGS Worcester pupils have had an excellent Cross-Country season with many exceptional individual and team performances. There have also been strong performances from runners at RGS The Grange, which bodes well for future years!
Well done and congratulations to all of our Cross-Country runners for your efforts across the season. Good luck to those who qualified in the National Championships. We look forward to hearing more exciting updates of success next year!
The RGS Junior Swimming Relay Teams competed in the ESSA National Swimming Finals at the London Aquatic Centre which played host to the 2012 Olympic Swimming events.
The Girls’ and Boys’ teams qualified for the National Finals in both the Freestyle and Medley Relay events. The Girls’ Team built on this success and qualified through the heats to the Medley Final, finishing ninth in the country, a truly outstanding achievement.
Pupils have celebrated the joy of Music and live performance, sharing their talents with appreciative audiences at frequent concerts held in the School’s Perrins Hall, the Performing Arts Centre and Worcester Cathedral.
RGS was delighted to welcome the talented, professional pianist, Roman Kosyakov to Perrins Hall, making best use of the School’s Grand Piano to share his musical expertise with pupils and inspire all with an evening Piano Concert, playing alongside aspiring young pianists from RGS Worcester.
The Autumn concert was a celebration of music and included performances from the School Orchestra, Wind Band, Intermediate Strings, Junior Choir, Chamber Choir, and Senior Choir. A total of 180 pupils participated in the concert, with pupils from Year Seven to Sixth Form performing.
The concert featured a range of musical styles, from classical pieces like Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ to pop songs such as Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’. The concert concluded with a moving rendition of Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’. The pupils and staff who performed were congratulated for their high-quality music-making.
The RGS Worcester Family of Schools’ annual Choral concert filled the historic Worcester Cathedral with music in the pursuit of peace. The concert, titled ‘A Call To Peace’, was performed by over 250 musicians from all four of The RGS Schools.
The concert proved to be a memorable evening with music of the highest quality, offering a unique moment of collaboration, celebration, and reflection for the whole RGS Worcester Family of Schools. Songs from the choirs of RGS Springfield, RGS The Grange, and RGS Dodderhill, all calling for or promoting peace in various musical styles and languages were performed. The RGS Worcester Senior Choir, with over 100 members performed the jazz-gospel classic ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free’.
The concert demonstrated the highest level of musicianship and commitment from the RGS pupils, making it an unforgettable experience for everyone present.
Pupils took to the stage to deliver six performances of ‘Zorro the Musical’ the exciting singing, dancing, acting, and sword-fighting extravaganza, performed in the School’s stunning Performing Arts Centre to sell-out audiences.
The pupils approached the production with infectious energy, joy and skill, immersing the audience in the vivid tale of tyranny and resistance. The band, made up of a talented group of pupils and staff, did a fantastic job of capturing the excitement of 1800s California from the second the audience took their seats.
“There is nothing like directing a production that brings the summer heat of Spain and California to a cold winter’s evening in Worcester– ‘Zorro’ is probably the most exciting musical that RGS has performed to date. It has been a privilege working with such a talented and enthusiastic cast and crew”.
Director of Drama, Mrs Jilly Witcomb
The DIY Drama Company performed Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ at the Performing Arts Centre in March. The company comprises Drama Scholars from Years Seven to the Upper Sixth who work together, led by Director of Drama, Mrs Jilly Witcomb, to bring the script to the stage. The entire process, including costume, set design, make-up, stage management, lighting and sound, marketing and production of a programme, is led by the cast members, who also acted in the play.
The production was an immersive experience for the audience with a chorus of hissing spirits surrounding them. The ensemble cast exuded sinister menace in what was a very dramatic performance.
Our talented pupils have been participating in various academic competitions and Olympiads.
Our science enthusiasts showed off their skills in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics Olympiads. A total of 22 medals were achieved in the Chemistry Olympiad, with special congratulations to Rayyan Styles for receiving a Gold Award.
In Biology, Samuel Hewitt, Ben Weller, and Rayyan Styles achieved Gold Awards, putting them in the top 5% of all Sixth Form students in the Olympiad across the UK. 12 other students also achieved Awards in Biology.
In Physics, the Upper Sixth students achieved 18 medals, with Dylan Cowling receiving a Gold medal. Not to be outdone, Year Eleven students also participated, achieving a whopping 53 medals, including 4 Golds by Conner Bowers, Samuel Taylor, Toby Alexander, and Jack Hill.
Moving on to Mathematics, 100 pupils from Years Nine to Eleven sat the Intermediate Mathematics Challenge, and we are delighted to announce that 13 students were awarded Gold Certificates, 29 achieved Silver, and 30 gained Bronze. Great job, mathletes!
Last but not least, congratulations to Arianne Eddy (Upper Sixth) for winning the St. John’s College Classics & Ancient History Essay Competition out of 160 submissions. We couldn’t be prouder of our talented pupils for their hard work, dedication, and impressive achievements.
National Careers Week started on Monday 6 March, marking a week-long celebration of Careers guidance and free resources in education across the UK. RGS was pleased to take part in this event and provide a focus for Careers guidance for our pupils.
As part of National Careers Week pupils from the Lower Sixth took part in mock job interviews with employers from a range of industries to develop and practice interview skills.
RGS Worcester welcomed two distinguished individuals, Jeremy Davey and Glynne Bowsher, for a workshop and careers seminar. Davey is an expert in IT and shared his knowledge with Year Ten Engineers. Bowsher was part of the team that set the land speed record with Thrust SSC in 1997. In a seminar for all pupils, Bowsher and Davey shared their insights on the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and passion in achieving success.
The seminar served as an inspiration for students to pursue their goals. Thrust SSC is now displayed at the Coventry Transport Museum to inspire future generations of engineers and scientists. The achievements of these two individuals and their teams are a testament to the rewards of working together towards a common goal.
RGS offers Scholarships in Creative Arts subjects; Art, Music, Drama, Textiles and Design Technology.
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RGS pupils achieved a clean sweep of 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in the National Final of the ‘Fashion Icon’ Competition. Of the ten finalists, five were RGS Worcester Textile Scholars.
This year’s theme ‘Thrift-Flip’ saw competitors tasked with designing a carnival inspired piece from a pre-loved wedding dress. The five RGS finalists attended the ‘Fashion and Embroidery Show’ held at the NEC and enjoyed seeing their creations modelled on the catwalk in front of a live audience.
After a nail-biting wait and much deliberation by the three industryexpert judges, the final results were announced with Isabella Price being placed 3rd, Isabelle Lowe awarded 2nd place and Teyah Farmer 1st place in the competition (image above).
We welcomed sixteen finalists for the Young Fashion Designer UK Competition. Students from across the country joined us for the morning where they exhibited their work and had the opportunity to talk with industry professionals who judge the competition.
This year’s competition saw a special visit from Alumna Erin Howard, who is now studying Fashion Design at the London College of Fashion.
The quality of work on display was exceptional and incredibly inspiring for all attendees. Lower Sixth student Teyah Farmer was invited to exhibit her GCSE piece and was awarded the Category Prize for Fashion Styling. Also awarded was Joyce Li, who won First Prize in the Year Seven and Year Eight Category.
Members of the RGS Greenpower Racing Team had a thrilling day at the Goodwood race track to compete in the Greenpower International Finals event. This event is by invitation only and the RGS team were eager to race again with our aptly named Greenpower racing car, ‘Superformance’.
Pupils from Year Eight to Ten were in the driving seat, and with plenty of hard work and tinkering with the car leading up to the race, ‘Superformance’ performed brilliantly.
The RGS Greenpower Racing Team finished a brilliant 12th out of 61 qualified cars which is a fantastic achievement and one of the School’s best positions in a highly competitive field.
“Huge congratulations go to Verity Bond Evans, Pru Goodison, Amelia Gutteridge, Alfie Ross, Mick Ashton, Edward Roberts, Sam Frettingham and Edward Richardson for two excellent finishes at the recent Greenpower Goodwood International Final”.
RGS Dodderhill pupils have enthusiastically embraced all the opportunities available to them, both in the classroom and through Co-curricular activities. Their creativity, musicality, ideas, and boundless enthusiasm never fail to amaze me.
Our many concerts have been outstanding, with pupils rising to the occasion wonderfully and showcasing the many talents we have here at RGS Dodderhill. This year we have held musical recitals for both Senior and Prep children as well as a Senior Concert – our first Performing Arts event combining Music, Drama and Dance.
A highlight for the whole school was the performance of Matilda the Musical, a singing, dancing musical extravaganza showcasing the School’s talented young performers.
RGS Dodderhill Sports teams have also enjoyed success in both Netball and Hockey. All Year Groups have had the opportunity to try something new in PE and Sport clubs.
New clubs have been introduced for Golf, Dance, Horse Riding, Mini United Nations and Photography. The breadth of clubs on offer ensures that there is something for every pupil providing fun and enjoyment both at school and life beyond.
Amelia Cartwight - Acting Head of RGS Dodderhill
“Given the ‘small is beautiful’ ethos that parents had raved about, we were surprised by the scale – seven acres with well-maintained facilities, all packed into a neat campus, with the jewel in the crown the main Georgian house”
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In the Autumn term we welcomed parents and families to the Senior Autumn Concert, our first concert of the academic year. Pupils from Year Seven through to Year Eleven performed individually, in duets, trios and ensemble groups to entertain the audience. Both the Senior Choir and the Chamber Choir performed and the evening was a triumphant celebration of the talent of our pupils; inspired and supported by Mrs Vinson, Mrs Jay-Jones and Miss Berry.
During a residential visit to northern France, pupils had the opportunity to hone their language skills, savour local delicacies, and reside in a château! The pupils demonstrated admirable resilience by fully immersing themselves in a new culture, actively listening and speaking in French.
The Mini United Nations (MUN) club provides pupils with a platform to learn about international cooperation, different countries, their policies, debating, the workings of the UN, diplomacy, research and presentation skills.
Pupils participate in both national and international meetings. The pupils have recently completed a presentation that included research on the UN.
Huge congratulations to Willow in Year Eight, who was accepted into The Sylvia Young Theatre School in London which she now studies at for two days a week. We are absolutely thrilled for her and also delighted that she will continue her academic studies at RGS Dodderhill.
This academic year saw the introduction of the Dodderhill Dance Company. The Dance Company is made up of talented and dedicated dancers from Years Five to Eleven, offering company members the opportunity to further develop their dance technique across a variety of dance styles from Contemporary to Street Dance.
Pupils took to the stage to deliver unforgettable performances of ‘Matilda the Musical’. The exciting singing, dancing, acting magical tale was performed in front of sell-out crowds. Matinee performances saw local primary schools visit to watch the captivating musical.
“A year ago before our daughter joined RGS Dodderhill, I never thought she would have been a part of something like this. The change in her confidence, resillience and happiness since she joined has been enornmous and that’s thanks to the incredible teaching staff and ethos of the School”.
Pupils from Year Eight represented the School at the Faraday Challenge, a nationwide competition in Science, Design Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). The girls were given a real-life problem for which they had to design and develop a product to help solve the problem. The challenge saw pupils getting hands-on experience, racing against the clock.
The Forest School area at RGS Dodderhill includes an outdoor classroom and a newly set up kitchen garden area. Pupils have embraced the opportunity to immerse themselves in a variety of outdoor activities including designing the outdoor area, preparing beds and making clay hedgehogs.
The Outdoor Learning area provides the perfect environment to promote childhood: fresh air; exploring; controlled risk-taking (tree climbing encouraged); outdoor learning in the magical Forest School and letting off steam in the adventure playground.
Nina Hobson, Head of Key Stage One and Two commented “I am passionate about developing the Outdoor Learning provision for our pupils at RGS Dodderhill. My recent Forest School Leader training highlighted the incredibly positive impact the natural environment can have on a child’s self-esteem, self-confidence, ability to work cooperatively and attitude to learning. The children love the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the expansion of our outdoor provision”.
We have launched a new Horse Riding club. The club offers the perfect opportunity to improve equestrian skills and forge friendships with fellow enthusiasts who share a love of riding.
The beginners have worked to develop their core riding skills and confidence. The experienced riders are now confidently riding around the ménage on their ponies.
Year Five pupils were inspired by rocket launches after watching one launch from their classroom floor. The pupils took a selfie in space and invited an astronaut into the classroom to find out about their space suit.
They were focusing on creating non-chronological reports and, in order to provide material for these reports, they made use of a fantastic augmented reality app allowing the pupils to immerse themselves fully in their learning to explore different aspects of space and then take this research to use in their reports. It was a wonderful way to demonstrate blended learning in action, with the combination of Augmented Reality, iPads with scaffolded writing frames and paper and pencil as well as lots of fun!
Food Technology is taught from Reception to GCSE at RGS Dodderhill. Pupils in Prep enjoyed learning practical skills and gaining their certificate for competency in ‘Safe Knife Skills’. To achieve the certification, pupils demonstrated their ability to peel, chop and grate safely, some essential life skills mastered at a young age!
Our catering suite is a wonderful place for our pupils to explore their passion for food and cooking. We believe that learning to cook is an important life skill, and we love to see what our pupils create.
Prep pupils put their engineering skills to the test during RGS Dodderhill’s STEAM week (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths). Working together as a team, they explored a range of activities including Science experiments to create a rainbow and how to pick up an ice cube with only string! Engineering principles were explored through a catapult challenge and music through a drumming workshop.
The action-packed week culminated with a Sphero challenge where pupils learnt to programme a Sphero Robot to move.
To kick start the new year and to welcome new friends the Year Five class visited Boundless Outdoors in Malvern for an exciting day of team building activities.
It was wonderful to see the children working positively with new friends, supporting each other to navigate the low ropes challenges, guide team mates around an obstacle course and take on the challenge of tunnelling. Whoops of delight could be heard echoing through the trees as they completed challenges big and small both individually and as part of a team.
RGS The Grange has had an incredibly eventful year so far. Each week has been filled with thrilling events and opportunities, ranging from educational trips to sports competitions. In the field of Performing Arts, our Chamber Choir dazzled audiences at both the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. During Performing Arts week, we celebrated all aspects of the Performing Arts through Drama, Dance, and Drumming workshops.
Our Sports programme has been equally impressive, with pupils participating in Netball, Rugby, Football, and Hockey fixtures, and winning first place in the Worcester Primary Schools Swimming Championship.
Our Scholarship success has summed up a super year to date with twenty-one Year Six pupils securing awards to RGS Worcester for September 2023. We prioritise the well-being of our pupils and our ‘Kindness in Education’ Award reflects this. Our goal is to create an environment where our pupils gain a feeling of belonging to a kind, enthusiastic and aspiring community which will support them in being excited about all the learning opportunities that lie ahead.
Gareth Hughes - Headmaster of RGS The Grange
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“Pupils don’t take the 50acre site for granted- how could they with a ‘16-acre field’ to tear about on and an extensive Forest School complete with wild garden, mud kitchen and outdoor classroom?”
RGS The Grange pupils and staff were delighted to be named as award winners at the Kindfest22 ‘Kindness in Education Awards’. The award is the culmination of a range of initiatives introduced over recent years by the School.
RGS The Grange was praised for having kindness embedded within the School’s culture. The School’s award-winning entry highlighted the range of initiatives in place to encourage the value of kindness throughout the Prep School. These include: ‘Kindness Clubs’ hosted by Kindness Captains, ‘Walk and Talk’ to discuss any worries with teachers, ‘Flourish and Fly’ to help develop social skills as well as charitable and environmental enterprises. These initiatives combine seamlessly to ensure that kindness is at the heart of the School’s values.
Mr Gareth Hughes commented, “We are delighted that the School was announced as the winner at the Kindness in Education award ceremony. It is our belief that pupils flourish in an environment where they feel cared for and listened to”.
RGS The Grange pupils were honoured to attend the Royal Albert Hall to collaborate with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to raise funds for Barnardo’s.
RGS The Grange Chamber and Senior Choir performed in The Barnardo’s Young Supporters’ Concert in what was a once in a lifetime musical experience of collaborating with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. When the children took to the stage there was a wonderful atmosphere and energy in the concert hall with everyone singing their hearts out during the amazing evening.
Performing Arts Week at RGS The Grange saw a hive of activity for all the children. The week included Drama, Dance and Drumming workshops as well as a performance of Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits’ as part of Year Five’s ‘Play in a Day’.
Year Six started Performing Arts Week by taking part in a Shakespeare Drama Workshop. Local actor and former RGS The Grange pupil, Charlie Day, taught the children about freeze frames and they explored how they could retell the story of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ without speech.
The week provided a wonderful feast of all things Performing Arts and an opportunity for the pupils to discover their own voice and build confidence. Performing Arts is offered to all pupils as part of the Cocurricular offering at RGS The Grange.
Running club has proved to be a popular Cocurricular club with many pupils choosing to take part and becoming confident runners. 24 pupils from Years Five and Six took part in the Worcester Schools Cross-Country Finals held at RGS The Grange. The pupils were extremely competitive in each of the four races, and were named as the highest placed school in Worcester City.
The Cross-Country endeavours continued at the annual Abberley Cross Country meet. Around the 1.7km course the Year Six pupils did the school proud with the boys managing to take first place overall and beating the 25 year old course record by an astonishing eleven seconds. In the National Prep Schools Cross-Country the boys team finished 11th in the country.
RGS The Grange hosted an exciting Rugby and Hockey festival, which was enjoyed by the Under 8 boys and girls. The event attracted over thirty teams from ten different schools, and every match was played with great enthusiasm and competitiveness. The festival provided a fantastic opportunity for the young players to develop their skills and experience the thrill of competitive Sport.
Pupils from RGS The Grange collaborated with Architecture students from Loughborough University to create ‘The Classroom of the Future’ following a series of joint workshops. The Year Six had the opportunity to participate alongside students from the school of Architecture. During a visit to RGS The Grange students and pupils worked together to share ideas on what would be the most important factors in productive learning for a classroom environment. A return visit saw the pupils attend the Loughborough School of Architecture’s design studio to see their ideas brought to life in virtual reality.
The experience enabled the pupils to explore the opportunities available through Architecture. They benefited from developing real-world skills; working in a team as well as giving and receiving constructive feedback. The project bought to life the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) engaging the pupils and developing the curriculum.
The School has established a link with a Ghanaian school to promote cultural exchange. Pupils in Year
Four enjoyed video conferencing with the Ghanaian school and have shared cultural experiences such as their love of music and dance. The pupils from both School’s learnt about each other’s school routines and then performed a song and dance for each other.
The RGS Family of Schools are donating all older iPads to the Ghanaian school and supporting them with their use of technology.
Educational experiences beyond the classroom, such as school trips and excursions, can greatly enrich a pupil’s learning journey. In February more than fifty pupils enjoyed a week skiing in Italy. The pupils hit the slopes and learnt to ski during the week long trip. Co-curricular activities like this are a brilliant way for pupils to learn and grow outside of the classroom
The Year Six French Ambassadors organised a French Café for the Years One and Two pupils where they enjoyed French themed snacks whilst practising their language skills. The initiative boosted the confidence of younger pupils with the French language and also fostered positive across-age relationships between older and younger pupils, contributing to their sense of belonging, self-esteem, and well-being for both age groups.
From Pre-Prep onwards pupils enjoy French lessons with a specialist language teacher.
It is the time of year when we officially find out how our Year Six pupils fared in the Scholarship process to RGS Worcester. We were delighted to report that 21 pupils secured 27 awards between them. They have been recognised for their Academic, Maths, Art, Music and Sporting endeavours with Scholarships and Exhibitions awarded.
Welcome to our small but vibrant section in Excel! As the Headmistress of this wonderful School I am always thrilled to introduce this section which celebrates the creativity and achievements of our pupils and School life in general.
This section is a platform to showcase School life and all that is on offer here. It is also a testament to the supportive and inclusive environment we foster here, where every individual is encouraged to explore their interests and express themselves freely in the classroom, through clubs and in all the trips on offer. We try to pack a bigger punch than belies our size and pupils have much to be proud of as part of our Springfield family.
I hope you enjoy reading this section as much as our pupils have enjoyed the opportunities reflected. Thank you for your continued support of our School and it continues to be our mission to inspire lifelong learning, creativity, curiosity and a good dose of fun along the way.
Laura Brown - Headmistress of RGS Springfield
Scan the QR code to enjoy reading the full review of RGS Springfield
Year Three pupils from RGS Springfield entered the national competition as part of the ‘Find your balance art and written competition’. The challenge set was to illustrate “What would you like the internet of the future to be like”. With hundreds of entries nationwide, RGS Springfield was delighted that three of their pupils were selected as regional competition winners!
The children’s work was showcased at the Houses of Parliament. As part of their prize the pupils were invited to view their award-winning work displayed in the prestigious venue and enjoy a celebratory reception at the event. The pupils returned to School enthused by their adventure, eager to share their stories with their fellow pupils. They said “It was an exciting day; we enjoyed meeting lots of people including Robin Walker and Giovanni Fletcher. We felt proud to win the competition and go to the Houses of Parliament”.
“Dubbed the ‘Secret in the Square’, this small co-ed with a big heart offers a caring and nurturing experience with grand senior school facilities on tap”Pupils from RGS Springfield won the opportunity to visit the Houses of Parliament as part of a competition run by Parent Zone.
Year Six pupils took on the roles of designers, engineers and project managers as they worked as a team to design, create and build their environmentally friendly electric car. The pupils were excited to design a new theme for the car, creating new bodywork as part of their project.
To inspire their designs the pupils visited the iconic racing circuit of Silverstone for a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the interactive motor museum, walk the Heritage track trail and take part in a workshop on car design in the Silverstone Learning Studio led by expert Silverstone engineers.
In British Sign Language club the children have learnt their first words in British Sign Language (BSL). The children have been fascinated by the visual language and have enjoyed learning their first words and phrases. In addition to learning basic phrases, the children have also learnt about the process of choosing their own “sign names.” In BSL, it is customary for individuals to have their own unique sign name that represents them.
The children have also focused on learning to sign one of the most important conversational openers - “How are you?” Learning sign language at such a young age is beneficial for communication and encouraging inclusivity.
In Pottery club our fantastic potters have successfully thrown pots on the wheel.
Our pupils have enjoyed developing their dexterity and creativity through the medium of clay. They have put in a lot of effort to master the various techniques and then shape and glaze their creations to create permanent memories of their creativity.
At the start of the academic year pupils in Year Six at RGS Springfield, spent a fun-filled day in the Forest of Dean. They started at the Dean Heritage Centre learning about Green Man sculptures and creating their own using clay. After this they investigated the history of the forest and learnt about the wildlife of the area. The trip provided the pupils with the opportunity to work together as a team, explore their creative side through clay sculpting and bring learning to life through the outdoors.
Pupils competed in their own US Open Team Challenge on the tennis courts, displaying impressive determination during their matches. LTA youth tennis sessions are led by our LTA qualified coach.
Pupils from Years One and Two enjoyed a series of Hockey Outreach sessions with Miss Bennett, Head of Hockey at RGS Worcester. The pupils learnt to pass the ball and thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Senior School for these sports sessions.
Later in the term it was turn of pupils in Years Five and Year Six to enjoy a taster Hockey training session. The children had a great time playing on the amazing new Water-based astroturf pitches at the new Worcester International Hockey Centre and learnt lots of new skills.
During the last Swimming session of the Half term, the children demonstrated their expertise in both Swimming and invasion games by participating in some exciting House games of Water Polo. They skillfully merged their knowledge and abilities to make the most of the game.
Pupils from RGS Springfield brought dark comedy to the stage with a spectacular performance of The Addams Family.
The cast showcased their theatrical skills with this musical comedy, tackling the topic of love and family acceptance. The performance brought energy, passion, and humour to the stage with powerful vocals, spooky costumes and true ‘Addams Family’ hilarity!
RGS Springfield’s Karate club is led by experienced instructors and offers a unique blend of physical and mental training that helps pupils develop discipline, focus, and self-confidence. Pupils learn self-defence techniques, whilst also improving their coordination, balance, and flexibility. At the end of term pupils were awarded with their grading certificates and belts.
The RGS Worcester Family of Schools successfully raised £24,921.84 for a variety of charitable causes in 2022. These included MacMillan Cancer Support, Wooden Spoon (the children’s charity of Rugby), BBC Children in Need, The Myriad Centre, Acorn’s Children’s Hospice, New Hope, the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, St Richard’s Hospice, Збережи Дитину’ Save a Child (a children’s charity in Ukraine), Read for Good, Comic Relief (Red Nose Day), and Worcester Snoezelen.
In addition to monetary donations there were also food donations and supermarket vouchers donated to Worcester Foodbank and Maggs Day Centre. In addition, Tongo School in North Ghana received a gift of 20 iPads.
The diverse range of charities supported by RGS Worcester is impressive and reflects the School’s commitment to making a positive impact on the wider community.
The RGS Worcester Family of Schools Fundraising Total 2022 £24,921.84
Year Ten pupil Sasha Penlington organised a fundraising concert which raised over £2,000 for ‘Збережи Дитину’ (Save a Child), a charity dedicated to supporting children affected and displaced by the war in Ukraine. The concert featured over 20 of Sasha’s fellow musicians, from Year Seven to Upper Sixth, with professional violinist Hannah Roper also performing.
“I would like to congratulate Sasha, her family and all the pupils who participated in this moving, fundraising event. We are immensely proud of our pupils for their dedication to making a positive impact in the world”.
Year Ten pupil, Libby Parker, impressively completed a marathon distance trail in her wheel chair, with the support of friends, family and celebrities.
The group successfully completed the ‘Big Push’ around Worcester to raise awareness and funds to support children with long Covid, reaching the donation target of £5,000. Libby tested positive with Covid-19 in summer 2021 and over a year on, she was using a wheelchair as she could not walk for more than 20 minutes at a time.
The ‘Big Push’ finished at RGS Worcester with a hero’s reception, breaking the ceremonial ribbon just after 6.30pm.
The whole School community came together to support fundraising for Bursaries to ensure accessibility to an RGS education for children in the future. Pupils wore home clothes with green and it was wonderful to see activities taking place across all four RGS Schools, focusing upon the number 1291 (the date of the first written record of the School). With alumni, former staff, parents and current staff as well as pupils contributing, a superb £107,748 was raised in the first ever Giving Day.
£107,748
These are some of the comments shared by donars on our Giving Day
“Having been the beneficiary of a Government Assisted Place during my four years at the School, it is great to be able to help others access such a wonderful education opportunity”.
“Having myself been the recipient of a Bursary during my ‘A’ Level years – I am grateful for the opportunity that RGS Worcester has provided to promote that same spirit of giving”.
“We love RGS and the vision to see increased accessibility. Thank you to all the pupils undertaking challenges and to the staff for making it all possible”.
“Without a Bursary our family would not have had the privilege and honour of sending our son to this excellent school”.
“For four generations my family have benefitted from the excellent education that RGS Worcester provdes. What a wonderful way to pay it forward.”
“As a recipient of a Bursary I can attest to how valuable they can be. RGS changed my life and gave me access to places, people and opportunities that have shaped my life and career ever since”.
A TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFT
An RGS alumni generously donated their six-bedroom house on the Malvern Hills to the School to sell to raise funds for transformational bursaries. The donor is said to be passionate about social mobility and keen to offer opportunities to those who may not otherwise have access to an RGS education, which he credits for his own successful career in science and technology.
Foundation Director, Mr Scott MacDonald, expressed his gratitude saying “Thank you to this amazing individual, and everyone in our community who supports Bursaries here at RGS; your donations really can change a life”.
Alumnus Max Whittle returned to RGS to discuss ‘Journalism in Sport’ with current pupils. Max’s Journalism career has seen him work in radio, including a stint as a producer on talkSPORT, before moving to the Guardian as a video producer. Max has also worked as a presenter and stadium announcer, working on exciting live events such as cricket’s t20 Vitality Blast and the Commonwealth Games, and he is the face of Aston Villa Football Club’s pre-match fan zone show.
Max stressed the need to ‘make things happen for yourself’ to get your career in Journalism started and the importance of having a strong presence on social media, particularly LinkedIn, to help get yourself noticed and find opportunities.
It was a brilliant evening on Saturday 22 October when we welcomed back the class of 2012 for their ten year reunion. Spirits were high and memories were flowing as the alumni class of 2012 reunited in Perrins Hall for their ten year reunion. The evening provided the perfect opportunity for mingling and re-connecting whilst enjoying seeing their old School again.
The class of 2012 are working in a variety of professions; Finance, Property, Law, Veterinary Science, Medics, Flight Officers and a West End performer provides just a snapshot of the plethora of careers the group are enjoying. Many fond memories were shared of their time at RGS Worcester.
Alumnus Charlie Day has experienced an incredibly successful acting career since completing his A Levels at RGS Worcester in 2016. After leaving RGS, Charlie trained in Acting at Bath School of Music and Performing Arts and shortly after completed an MA in Performing Shakespeare.
Charlie performed in the Vesta Tilley Studio, which is part of Worcester Theatre, in ‘MILKED’ a black comedy written by Simon Longman. Charlie commented about the play: “Two mates find a dying cow in a field, and set about trying to…deal with it. A funny and moving black comedy about friendship, unemployment and a cow called Sandy”. Remembering his RGS days and experiences with Drama here at School, Charlie says “Everyone in the Drama department was fantastic; they really set me up to go on and do what I wanted to do. It was such an important time for me”.
Charlie is a talented thespian and has written, produced and performed in a number of shows, most recently taking his own play ‘Rock Bottom’ to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it received rave five-star reviews. He is also one of the founders of ‘Fresh Life Theatre’, a company that reimagines classical texts and introduces new talents to the drama industry.
“Charlie is deserving of his success! I first met Charlie as he started Lower Sixth and his drive and determination to be on stage was second to none – nothing was going to stop him! This hard work has been rewarded and I am very proud of what he has already achieved and look forward to all that the future will bring for him”.
Director of Drama , Mrs Jilly Witcomb
